Concealed indoor television antenna



Oct. 22, 1957 E. FINKEL CONCEALED INDOOR TELEVISION ANTENNA 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1957 V iNvENToR.

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QGNCEALTJD @IDQGR TELEVISIQN ANTENNA Edward Finkei, Great Neck, N. Y., assignor to E. F. D.

ianufacturing Co, inc, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New Yorir Application Sanitary 22, 1957, Serial No. 635,434

3 Claims. (Cl. 343-895) This invention relates generally to television antennas primarily for indoor reception and more particularly relates to such indoor antennas which are substantially concealed when not in use.

Indoor antennas heretofore employed for reception with stationary home receivers were variously mounted on the top or" the cabinet and connected through a lead-in wire to the input receiver terminals. The two dipole antenna rods were generally telescopic in nature and when in the retracted position still presented a rather unsightly appearance on the television set. Such separation between television set and the conventional prior indoor an- Was in part made necessary because of the different ori ons thereof required to obtain optimum reception as serveral channels in the area for minimization of ghosts, interferences, etc. Also, the inclusion of tunable circuitry in conjunction with such indoor antennae made their bull; sizable and presented a rather unesthetic appearance on the television receiver.

in accordance with the present invention, a novel indoor antenna for television reception is provided which is mounted at the rear of the television set, exposing only a relatively small silhouette. Essentially, when in the non-use or retracted position, only an esthetic tuning dial and the post ends of the telescoped antenna rods are visible. The tunable circuitry and the basic remainder of the telescoped dipole rods are arranged in a compact fiat housing which is fastened at the back panel of the television receiver. The flatness of the housing avoids any problem of locating the television set with respect to the wall in that its depth is substantially less than the usual end bell extension of the cathode ray tube thereof.

A unitary construction of the invention indoor antenna is provided by utilizing an elongated housing of shallow depth into which the telescoped antenna rods are moved when not in use. Also, the inductance circuitry of the tunable portion of the indoor antenna is arranged on a fiat panel which also economically constitutes a cover of the housing. An antenna lead extends from the housing to the television receiver input terminals. The rotatable dial operates a multi-position switch which afiords discrete tuning steps connected together with the dipole antenna for optimum reception. Such dial is constantly accessible to the operator as it extends at the top of the set while the remainder of the circuit and sections of the antenna are enclosed and out of use behind the receiver, as aforesaid.

A further important feature of the present invention is the provision of a swivel joint on at least one of the telescoping rods of the dipole construction. By providing a ball and socket arrangement in the joint to which such dipole rods are secured to the housing, each of the dipole elements may be positioned angularly as desired and required for optimum reception without in any way moving the antenna structure with respect to its mounting position on the television set. The combination of such angularly adjusted dipole elements in connection with their ready telescoping within a housing mounting behind the 2,810,909 Patented Oct. 22, 1957 television set and the inclusion of a multi-position tuning circuit together therewith affords an inexpensive, practical, eilicient indoor tuning antenna for television receivers.

It has been found that the unit of the present invention is useful in the reception of television channels to a degree comparable to most outdoor television installations.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel indoor television antenna which is fixedly mountable on a television receiver with a substantial section thereof hidden from view.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dipole indoor antenna in combination with a multiposition tuning circuit therefor arranged to be mounted on a television receiver with a substantial portion thereof hidden from view.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel television dipole antenna having telescoping dipole rods which when retracted are substantially hidden from view and fixedly mountable behind a television receiver.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dipole television antenna having telescoping rods which when extended are angularly positionable for optimum reception and when retracted are substantially hidden from the front view of a television receiver.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof taken in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of the invention indoor antenna with the dipole elements thereof in the retracted position.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of the structure of Figure l with the dipole elements in their fully extended position indicating the angular orientation thereof.

Figures 3a and 3b are elevational views of the antenna unit of Figures 1 and 2 with the tuning selector section separated from the main body and exposing interior elements of the structure.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a section of the structure of Figure So as taken along the line 44 thereof.

Figure 5 is an enlarged face view of a portion of the inductance cover of the antenna structure.

Referring now to Figure l, the indoor antenna 20 has an elongated shallow housing 21 having a removable cover 22 and a housing 23 securable to the cover 21 for containing the multi-position switch for the discrete tuning and a control knob 24 associated therewith. Mounted at the top end of the housing 21 are the two telescoping rods 25, 25. Figure 2 illustrates the dipole rods 25, 26 in their fully extended position. Dipole rod 25 contains its base rod 25 which engages with the ball 27 in the socket 23 secured in housing 21. Associated dipole rod 26 is spaced from rod 25 across the housing 21 and extends from a ball 2? engaged with socket 3i) affixed to housing 21. The base section 26 of rod 26 engages with the socket 29 in its fully extended position and prevents dipole rod 26 from being disengaged with the antenna structure.

The indoor antenna structure 2d of the present invention is arranged to be inconspicuously mounted upon a television set indicated in dotted lines at 31 in Figure 2. The mounting is preferably long the hidden back portion of the set extending along the rear plane corresponding to edge 32 of cathode 31. The elongated shallow housing 21 is placed against the rear face of the television set with the underside of the control housing 23 resting on the top face of the receiver 31.

In a commercial embodiment of the antenna structure 2d, the width of auxiliary housing 23 was 2 /2 with its height less than 3". As the front face 33 of housing 23 is inclined, its appearance from the front of the television set is relatively minor compared to the size of the set and is pleasant and 'esthe'tic in appearance.

Itis not bulky or movable and in that way does not have the undesirable'factors of the prior art units. Also, the underside of the dial housing 23 is smooth and is in no way secured or fastened to the top of the television receiver 31' which is generally of quality furniture finish tenna unit extending from the rear of housing 21 thereof are connected to the antenna terminals of the receiver. This is accomplished from the rear of the set as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In this way the connection of the indoor antenna to the receiver is not in view as in the conventional usage of receivers and adds to the esthetic nature of the invention system for home stationary receivers.

The connected antenna. leads 34 maintain the dipole antenna in permanent connection with the receiver once installed therewith. In operating the receiver for reception, the antenna dipoles 25, 26 are extended as shown in Figure 2. Either one or both of the antenna rods are tilted or otherwise angularly orientedin any manner desired for optimum selection of the desired channel. The dotted position of the antenna rod 26 at 261 illustrates such tilting. Ball and socket arrangements for' mounting the antenna and permitting angular orientation of the antenna rods when fully extended to obtain the full effect of the dipole 25, 26 for optimum reception are readily managed. Such orientation will correspond to the direction of the incoming television signals for the: selected channel, the relationship of interference, ghosts, etc. as is Well known in the art.

The tuning or clarifier dial 24 operates a built-in tuning arrangement connected with the dipole antenna as will be more fully described in connection with Figures 3 and 4. a

Figure 1 shows the openings 36, 37, 38 through the housing 21 and plate 22 through which suitable bolts or mountnig screws are used to secure the dipole structure' 20. to the television receiver 31. Also, the fastening screws 39, 39' are connected in Figure 1 for the attachment of the cover plate 22 to the shallow housing 21, which plate preferably contains the inductance section elements of the tuning circuit to be described.

The interior construction of the antenna structure 20 with the tuning control section assembly is shown in Figures 3a and 3b. The dipole rods 25, 26 are fully retracted. The lower or base tubes 25 and 26 are shown in their position interior of the shallow housing 21 in .dotted lines behind the cover plate 22. The socket 28 'of dipole 25 is fixedly secured in a shell 40 mounted on V a cross plate 41 in housing 21 and secured therein by a machine screw 42. A shell 42 similarly fixedly secures the socket 30 for rod 26. By such arrangement, the

rods 25 and 26 readily telescope in predetermined locations within the housing 21. However, when they are fully extended as indicated in Figure 2, the peened over ends 25" and 26 of the respective rods 25, 26-engage with the respective ball sections 27, 29 to prevent dislatchment of the rods 25, 26 from the antenna. When s'o engaged and extended, the rods 25, 26 are tiltable in the necessary angular relationships for optimum reception as aforesaid.

The antenna lead-in wire 34 preferably of ribbonform extends through. an opening44 in the rear of housing 21' from its connection to the control switch to the selector switch 45 within control housing 23. Ribs 46, 47, 48 are arranged centrallyalong and integral with the shallow housing 21 for firmly securing theelements such as covers 22 and 23 to the unit 20. Strengthening ribs 49 and 49 are for the same purpose.

The multi-position switch 45 is electrically interconnected to the respective dipole rods 25, 26 through leads 50, 51 at respective terminals 52, 52. The lead-in 34 is correspondinglyconnected to terminals 54, 55 of selector switch 45. The switch 45 is also connected to an inductance element 61 (see Figure 5) secured with panel 22 and terminating at terminals 22a, 22b. Lead 56 connects from inductance terminal 22:: to terminal 57 of switch 45; and lead 58 from inductance terminal 22b to terminal 59 of the switch.

The switch 45 has twelve positions, in this instance, for setting up twelvecircuit combinations involving the dipole rods and the inductance in various usable arrangements. However the circuit details are not part of the present invention and it will be understood that a very wide variety of switches and circuitry could be utilized in the physical arrangement all for the purpose of sharpening the response to reception of any particular channel by adjusting a switch. The invention is not limited to any particular switch or circuitry. Any conventional switch and circuitry may be utilized of a type heretofore known for adding inductance to a dipole or disconnecting the inductance and effecting various circuit combinations. The important point herein is the novel physical relationship of the dipole, the switch, the dipole housing, the inductance, 'and the switch housing.

In one embodiment, the inductance 61 is embedded or printed in a laminated phenolic sheet constituting cover plate 22. The interior insulation surface of panel 62 is arranged to face the interior of housing 21 to confine the base sections 25, 26 of the dipole rods within the shaladhesive compounds.

low housing. The exterior of panel 22 is faced with a rubberized or a sponge rubber layer as seen in Figures 4 and 5. The rubberized layer protects the inductance 61. Also, the face of rubberized layer 69 is readily secured to the back of the television setby suitable Such adhesive connection of the structure 20 to the television receiver 31 is optional and may be used independently or in conjunction with the bolt or screwmeans 64 indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4.

external short circuiting or scuffing. Such rubberized or sponge rubber panel 60 is preferably adhesively secured to the panel 22 overlying the inductance 61 to form an integrated panel structure 22. Should the inductance 61 be arranged to face the interior of housing 21, it

would be protected by an insulation layer to serve the function of panel 62 in protecting the inductance electrically and mechanically from the angularly movableends 25', 26 of the dipoles when telescoped therein.

It must be understood that the presentinvention may take other forms and constructions than the disclosed construction without departing from the broader spirit and said rods for optimizing television reception 'by the dipole rods, a sub-housing for said switch secured to said housing adjacent said one end thereof and extending substantially normally from a face thereof, and means It is to be noted that by arranging the inductance 61- for mounting the antenna structure against a vertical surface of a television receiver with a major portion of said face juxtaposed against a vertical surface of said receiver and said sub-housing subtended over a portion of the receiver top surface for ready tuning of the an tenna, wherein said tunable circuit comprises a flat, elongated inductance element mounted substantially co-extensively with said shallow housing, further including a cover plate for said shallow housing with said flat elongated inductance element mounted upon said cover plate, said face comprising said cover plate.

2. An indoor television antenna as claimed in claim 1 with a rubber-like material overlaying said inductance element and said cover plate for containing the element and for securement of the antenna structure to a television receiver.

3. An indoor television antenna as set forth in claim 1, said flat inductance element being carried on the exterior surface of said cover plate and being covered with a rubber-like material which may be readily cemented to said vertical surface of said television receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,121 Patino Mar. 5, 1946 2,558,487 Hills June 26, 1951 

